A Broken Hallelujah
by CarlenieBeanie
Summary: Amelia's been hurt, and is being hurt. Jack knows what it's like to have been hurt, then be safe. Can Jack show her what it's like to be safe, and not afraid? Might he be too late already?
1. Big Moves and Meetings

**Hey ya'll. So this is my latest story :) I've started it before the movie, I'm thinking Bobby's around 24, Jeremiah is about 22, Angel's about 20, and Jack is about 18. I really hope you enjoy, I've got stuff planned out up here *taps head* please R&R, my muse absolutely adores reviews ;) Thanks ya'll! **

**-Carlene**

...

"God dammit Amelia, could you actually try to do something? You lazy ass."

"You know what Randy? I've been moving crap all day, you just got here, so who's the lazy one now?" Amelia stood up to her older brother, her five foot four frame was mini in comparison to him.

"I ain't lazy." He scoffed, crossing his arms.

"Bullshit!" She shouted, pushing him on his chest.

"Amelia Lorraine! You shouldn't talk to your brother like that!" Their mother scolded.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes, closing her black wool peacoat tighter around her body, watching the snow fall. She grabbed a box, walking inside and placing it by the stairs.

"Stupid bitch..." She heard her brother mumble, placing a box in the kitchen.

"You know what Randy? I know you aren't fuckin happy about movin, and I know you hate having me as a sister, that ain't nothin new. But I don't have to deal with your shit okay? So stop trying to fuck with me, calling me names, I don't need any of that okay? So back off."

"Why should I?"

"You two, would you stop fighting? For crying out loud, we-we don't need this today!" Amelia looked up at her mother, her blonde hair a mess, snow covering the box she was carrying, her eyes dark from being tired. She knew her mother didn't want to deal with them fighting along with moving. Instead of swapping some choice words with Randy she shrugged him off and walked back out to the moving van.

She grabbed another box, labeled Mom and Dad's room and stacked a couple small boxes on top before turning and walking back into the house. This whole routine carried on for at least another half hour, and the van was looking like more spacious in the back. Amelia knew this was going to be different here in Detriot then it had been in Portland. Shit, there had never been this much snow in Oregon.

"Amelia! Come eat!" She turned her head towards the house, a two story, baby blue house, not much different than the house they'd lived in before, it just didn't have a driveway, or a garage.

"Amelia! Come on!" Her mother shouted out the door.

"I'm coming!" She yelled back, ducking her head against the snow and the wind. She walked up over the curb and ran into what felt like a brick wall, causing her to fall on her butt.

"My goodness, Bobby, you should really watch where your walking!" She looked up to see a guy, who looked to be about early to mid twenties possibly, with dark hair, and nearly black eyes.

"I'm sorry." He smirked, reaching a hand out to her.

"It's alright, I should've been looking for where I was going." She explained, wiping herself off.

"No, dear, Bobby should've been watching." She looked over to see a white haired lady with bright blue eyes smiling at her. "Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself. My names Evelyn Mercer, this is my son Bobby." She extended a hand out to her.

"My name's Amelia, Amelia Billings." She shook her hand, offering up the warmest smile she could.

"Nice to meet you Amelia. We actually live next door." Evelyn pointed to the brown house, the one on the end of the street. "So, where did you move from?"

"We moved from Portland, Oregon."

"Amelia Lorrai- Oh hello!" Amelia glanced up to see her mother walking towards them.

"Hey mom, this is Evelyn Mercer, and her son Bobby." Amelia motioned towards the pair on the sidewalk, "They live next door."

"Oh, hi, I'm Charlotte, Amelia's mother. My son Randy's inside." Evelyn and her mother exchanged their greetings, shaking hands and smiling.

"You've had a long move out here."

"Yeah, we have, and by the looks of it the trucks still not empty.." Charlotte sighed.

"Oh, I can have my boys help you, just send Amelia over when your done eating dinner. I'm sure they'll make the load a little lighter."

"You have more sons?" Amelia asked curiously.

"Yes, three more actually. Jeremiah, Angel, and Jack. Jack is actually about your age." Evelyn smiled.

"Oh." She said simply.

"Yeah, well, we'll leave you to eat, just come over when your finished, they'll be happy to help."

"Alright, come on now Amelia, dinner's getting cold. Is was nice meeting you."

"Nice meeting you too." And with that the two pairs went their seperate ways.

"Well they seem like a nice family." Her mother smiled, closing the door behind her.

"Yeah, they do." Amelia nodded, sitting down on the couch, a plate of mac and cheese in her lap.

"Who?" Randy asked, scraping up the last bit on his plate.

"The Mercer's, our neighbors. A lady named evelyn and four sons." Her mother explained, dishing herself up some food.

"Ah, I hope they aren't any trouble." He shrugged.

"I'm sure they won't be, now eat your dinner."

The three finished up their dinners quickly, barely more than two words said between each other.

"Well, now that that's done, Amelia, would you mind going over and asking the boys to help?"

"No, I'm just going to go to the bathroom first." Amelia smiled, ducking into the small bathroom. She checked her face, her green eyes shining back at her, her light freckles over the bridge of her nose were still there, her auburn hair still curled like it had before. She slid a bit of chapstick over her dry lips before leaving.

"I'm going to go get them!" Amelia called, slipping on her peacoat and a white and black checkered scarf.

"Okay! Randy, get out there and help them move."

"Okay, whatever." Randy shrugged on his coat.

Amelia followed Randy outside, taking the short walk down the sidewalk to the Mercer residence. She walked into the enclosed front porch, tapping lightly on the front door.

She waited about a minute, and nothing. She knocked again, a bit more forceful.

"Wait a minute!" She heard a gruff voice from behind the door.

"Okay, jeeze." Amelia mumbled, crossing her arms before the door was whipped wide opened. A boy, who looked to be about Amelia's age was standing in front of her. God, what was his name? James? Jake? Jeff? Jason?

"Hey." He said, his pink lips turning up in a corner.

"Hey, I'm Amelia, we're moving in next door? Your mother said to come over...?" She asked shyly.

"Oh yeah, mom said something about it. Come in." He smiled, opening the door wider. She stepped in behind him, choosing to stay in the entry way.

"Hey ma! That neighbor girl is here!" He called up the stairway, Evelyn appearing at the top.

"You know she does have a name.." She mumbled, "It's nice to see you again Amelia. Let me just get the boys. Jeremiah! Bobby! Angel! Amelia's here! From next door!" She shouted.

"Give them a minute dear, so how was dinner?" Evelyn turned to her.

"It was okay, just mac and cheese.." She trailed off, watching two guys come down the stairs, and Bobby appearing from the living room.

"There you are. Now boys, this is Amelia." Evelyn gestured towards her, causing them to wave and exchange various greetings. "And Amelia, this is Angel," She gestured towards the tall dark bald man, "This is Jeremiah.." She pointed to a shorter dark guy, with a head of curly black hair, "You've met Bobby before." She shrugged to Bobby.

"Yeah, when he knocked her over.." Jerry laughed while Amelia could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks.

"Oh, it was an accident. And last but not least, this is Jack." She placed her hand on the boy's shoulder. He smirked again, Amelia couldn't deny the fact that he was cute. His blue eyes were striking, and his dark blonde hair was messy in just the right fashion to be adorable.

"Now you boys go with Amelia, make yourselves useful and help her move those things into her house."

Amelia watched the guys grab their coats and shoes, shuffling out the door behind her.

"Hey, Randy, now you have help. This is Bobby, Angel, Jeremiah, and Jack." She waved a hand towards each of the boys, "This is my older brother Randy, if he gets to be an ass like normal, just punch him."

Amelia grabbed a small box, as the guys brought in large boxes, probably clothes, and books, she thought one of them might've had the tv. With four extra sets of hands, the van was cleared out in a matter of a half hour.

"Do you want us to move these into the correct rooms, not just leave them here?" Bobby asked.

"Uhm, sure. That'd be a huge help." Amelia smiled, she'd been left with the guys to move the boxes, her mother had gone to bed a while ago, and her brother was sleeping on the couch.

"So, which goes where?" Angel questioned.

"Uhm, my moms moved her things into her room. My brothers room is upstairs, the second one on the left. And obviously the kitchens there, the bathroom ones can be left wherever, and living room goes where the lazy ass is sleepin. And, my bedroom stuff can just go by the basement door."

"Ouch, basement bedroom in a detriot winter? You gonna be freezin your tiny white ass off." Bobby laughed.

"Oh well, as long as I'm far away from that ass," She hitched a thumb in Randy's direction,"I'm fine."

"You two don't get along huh?"

"That's not even close to describing it." She rolled her eyes.

"Okay, well, Jack how bout you help miss Amelia here actually move her stuff down to her room, so's she's not dragging it down there at midnight."

"He doesnt have to-" She began to protest.

"He's gonna, okay?" Bobby was quick to cut her off.

"Yeah." Jack smirked, picking up a couple of the boxes and starting off downstairs. Amelia was quick to follow, a box in hand.

"So, Ma didn't say, where'd you move from?" Jack asked, trying to start some small talk.

"Portland, Oregon."

"Long move." He smirked again, "So where do you want this?"

"Uhm, you can just put it there in the corner, or at the end of the mattress is fine."

"Your probably gonna be wanting more blankets then just the one if you don't want to be an ice cicle in the mornin." He waved a hand towards her makeshift bed.

"Yeah. I can get some later." She shrugged, she was surprised. This was the most she'd heard Jack talk all night. The way he stood was defensive, his arms crossed over his chest, usually looking down at his feet. Something had to have happened to him, she knew Evelyn would never do anything to make him like this.

"Hey, ya'll done suckin face to get up here and bring more boxes down?" She recognized Angels voice coming from upstairs, Amelia felt her face turn bright red. She was too busy looking at her feet to see Jacks face was about the same color.

The pair came back upstairs to see all the boxes besides Amelia's were moved to the right place.

"Jeeze, you guys move fast." She shook her head.

"Yeah, I guess, let's finish up, so all of us can get some sleep." Jerry sighed, picking up a box, Bobby, Angel and Jack took the rest.

"Well, that was a lot faster than it would've been if I'd been by myself. Thanks a ton you guys." Amelia smiled.

"Not a problem, hey, if you need anything, you know where we live. And I took the liberty of writing our phone number down in the kitchen." Jeremiah explained.

"Okay, oh my goodness, the time." Amelia sighed, looking up at the clock, whose face showed it was almost nine, "I was going to go run get stuff for breakfast.."

"Your not gonna go now, I don't even want to know what they'd do to a pretty girl like you out there. You don't want to go walking alone, take your brother with you, or if anything, ask one of us." Bobby nodded to his brothers, "We'll take care of you."

"Heh, thanks. Well, it's getting late, I'm guessing you guys will want to be going home."

"Yeah, you probably want to get to sleep." Jack nodded.

"Yeah." Amelia couldn't help but smile, what was this boy doing to her?

"Mhm," Bobby looked between the pair, "Well, it was nice meeting you and your family. I'm sure we'll be seeing you around."

"See ya, it was nice meeting you." Jeremiah shook her hand once more before heading out the door.

"Be seein ya around." Angel inclined his head towards her before following Jerry.

"Come on Jackie-poo. Again, it was nice meeting you." Bobby grasped her hand and shook it.

"It was nice to meet you. Try not to turn into an ice cicle." Jack laughed, Amelia giggling along with him.

"See ya around. It was nice meeting all of you." Amelia smiled, watching the guys leave the porch and walk home before heading to bed.

She was very happy she'd met the Mercer's, all of them had their varied identities. Evelyn was so sweet, while Bobby was kind of show off-ish and seemed like a hot head. Then you had kind Jeremiah, and Angel who seemed to think plenty of himself, but would still help people. The, of course, there was Jack who seemed a total mystery to her.

Jack had a hidden past, she knew that. Maybe he'd been transferred a lot so he didn't want to get close to people. That seemed like a reasonable explanation. But maybe it was something totally different, Amelia knew she was going to find out. Evelyn would probably know. She was his adoptive mother after all.

Amelia slipped into her sweatpants, opting for a sweatshirt rather than her normal t-shirt for warmth, and crawled into bed, sleep coming like a blanket.

...

"So Fairy, you got a crush on the new neighbor huh?" Bobby asked, nudging his younger brother in the shoulder.

"What? No. We're just friends."

"Uh-huh. So why were you joking around with her, and like watching her. I'm pretty sure you like her Jackie.." Bobby grinned.

"It's called being personable Bobby, you might not know how, but people do it all the time." Jack rolled his eyes, pulling a large t-shirt over his head for pajamas.

"Mhm, Jackie's got a crush, Jackie's got a crush." Bobby said in a sing song voice, making his way down the hall to his own room.

Jack shut his door, slipped on a pair of pajama pants, and laid down in bed. Maybe Bobby was right? He knew he felt different about Amelia. She seemed like an awesome girl. But he didn't know if he could trust her. With his past, Jack didn't trust anyone easily, but he'd been joking around with her, well once at least. That had to show some trust. He wondered what a seemingly decent girl would want with a fuck up like him. Who knew. She probably didn't, and he knew that. But it couldn't hurt to think, right?

...


	2. I Could Use A Smoke

**Heyy :) So, here's the second chapter for ya'll ;) Hope you enjoy! Reviews = Love :) **

**-Carlene.**

...

"Amelia, would you mind running to the store quick? I just need some eggs and maybe some bacon, or sausage. Whatever works."

"Uhm, sure." Amelia began to shrug her jacket on.

_I don't even want to know what they'd do to a pretty girl like you out there.._ Bobby's voice from the night before ran through her head. But what would they do? It was daylight out, kids were playing in the street, people were on their porches, what would anyone do?

"Take your cell phone with you." Her mother chimed from the kitchen.

"I know. I'll be home soon." And with that, she was out the door. The snow was falling gently against the pavement, a big difference from the near blizzard it had been last night. She watched the kids playing street hockey, checking each other into snow banks, causing mothers from the other houses to repremand them from their porches. Maybe Detriot wouldn't be so bad.

In Oregon Amelia had been the shy girl, the one who wouldn't get super close to anybody. Anybody besides her best friend Riley, he'd been there through everything. Her dad leaving, her brother changing, her mothers breakdown, everything. She knew she missed Riley a lot, but she could still call him if she needed him. And if things didn't work out in Detriot she was sure his family would probably take her in.

But here in Detriot, she could start over new, a new school, new people. Amelia could be different, but she still felt she didn't want to get super close to anyone, that if they found out about her past and her present they'd not like her anymore, and rumors would start. Just like they had in Orego-

Just then Amelia felt somebody wrap a strong arm around her waist, a hand quick to cover her mouth to make sure she didn't scream. Her heart began to race as the man made her walk towards an alley way, Amelia knew she would need to find a way out, but how. She made a quick move to try to bite the gloved hand, even trying to kick him in the groin, anything to allow her to scream for two seconds.

"I thought he told you not to go out alone." A deep voice came in her ear, who was it? How would he know what Bobby had told her?

"Angel, Jesus Christ, don't give her a heart attack, leave the poor girl alone."

"Awe, Jerry, I was having fun.." She heard Angel whine as he released her.

"I should kill you! You idiot!" Amelia shouted, turning to face Jeremiah and Angel, who was laughing.

"Well, you needed to learn a lesson. These streets ain't as safe as you might think. And you really shoulda seen the look on your face." He continued to chuckle.

"That's not even funny, now if you'll excuse me, I need to get something from the store." She huffed, trying to walk past them.

"Ignore him, here, I'll walk with you there. You really shouldn't be walking alone though." Jerry explained.

"I think I can take care of myself just fine." She crossed her arms.

"Yeah, you totally took Angel out." He rolled his eyes as she turned to watch Angel shake his head and return to his house.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes at him and continued on her way.

"So, why ya headed to the store anyways?" Jerry asked, keeping pace with her.

"To get stuff for breakfast, I'm probably gonna end up doing some more shopping later to fill up the pantry."

"Mhm, well if your brother don't wanna go with you, ask one of us. Like Bobby said last night, we'll take care of you."

"I doubt anyone is going to try to jump me."

"Angel just did. And your walking around defenseless. You need somebody to walk with you." Jerry wrapped his arm around her shoulder just as they passed a group of questionable looking guys. "Example A." He whispered, waving his hand in their direction.

"Whatever." Amelia rolled her eyes as they neared the store, she didn't want to admit Jerry was probably right. She wouldn't have stood a chance if all those guys had jumped her.

"Heh, you live around here long enough, you'll understand. Maybe next time I'll send Jackie along with you. Would you like that?" He joked, nudging her in the shoulder.

"Whatever Jerry." Amelia sighed, walking through the front doors, grabbing a basket to caryy the groceries in.

Jerry wouldn't leave Amelia, even when she was shopping. She made her way around, grabbing everything on her list, even slipping a bag of swedish fish onto the receipt. Jerry even made it a point to walk her home. He made the occassional joke about Jack, or even told some funny stories about Bobby and Angel. The walk seemed to pass by quicker on the way home, passing the same group of guys and the kids playing street hockey.

"Well, here we are." Amelia smiled, "Thanks for walking with me."

"Not a problem, like Angel and Bobby said, don't walk alone. Just call and one of us will walk with you."

"Thanks, I'll keep it in mind. I'll be walking for a while, at least until I can get a car."

"Nice, well I guess I'll talk to you later, see ya Amelia. I'll be sure to tell Jack hey." He gave her a wink before walking across to his house, leaving her to walk inside.

"Bout time you got home. What were you doing with him? Huh?"

"Nice to see you too Randy.." Amelia sighed, shrugging her jacket off.

"The feelings mutual. Now what were you doing with that black guy?" Randy blocked her off at the door.

"Randy, he walked me to the store, and walked me home. The streets aren't safe for me alone. I could be raped, kidnapped, killed!"

"It's not rape if you ask for it." He stated simply.

"I'm not a whore Randy. I still have my V card thanks a lot. So back off you asshole."

She felt the heat burn across her face, the hand print almost seemed to rise off her cheek from him slapping her. "I'll back off when I damn well please."

"No, you'll back off when I call mom down here."

"Mom's over at Evelyns or whatever. So you've got no chance."

"Yes I do!" Amelia smiled, before landing a hard punch to his gut. She slid around his balled up frame, heading for the basement door. She had the handle turned when Randy ripped her back by her hair, into the living room.

"Randy, please, don't do this again, leave this shit back in Oregon, please." Amelia begged as he tossed her to the her face stung from another slap.

"What? Leave it in Oregon like mom did to dad? No, I'm the man of the house know and you need to learn not to disrespect me."

"I don't have to respect an asshole." Amelia shrunk back as her face stung from another slap.

...

"Damnit Bobby, move, I'm trying to see the tv." Jack sighed, trying to lean around his brother.

"Jack, we have company over." Evelyn scolded him from the kitchen, where her and Amelia's mother were sharing a cup of coffee.

"Sorry Ma. Now move Bobby, please." Jack asked again.

"Nah, I think I'm good." Bobby smirked, putting both of his hands on his hips. Jack rolled his eyes, looking out the side window of the house, it showed to the Billings living room, boxes still on the floor. Jack was pretty sure if you looked hard enough you could see into the next families living room too, every house on the street looked alike and was built alike.

Jack heard some faint shouting coming from Amelia's house, her and her brother were probably arguing. He believed that until he saw her brother pulling her by the hair into the living room.

"What the fuck?" Jack mumbled, trying to see what was happening.

"What'd you say fairy?" Bobby asked, turning from the television.

"Nothing." Jack waved him off, his hand turning to a fist as he saw Amelia's brother slapping her in the face, almost sending her to the floor. He heard Amelia say something to him, her face twisting in anger. Her brother, god damnit what was his name?, pushed her to the floor violently, it look like he kicked her a couple times before Jack saw his mouth move, saying something, then walking off.

_That asshole..._ Jack thought. Seeing the scene that had unfolded brought back memories of his past, of when his foster parents would beat him and even starve him. He felt for Amelia, he knew now why her eyes seemed to hide something, she looked scared. He knew why she was jumpy around people, even though she was excellent at concealing it.

He saw Amelia stand up, holding her waist, her face a bright vivid red on one side. She walked slowly, painfully to the hallway, probably going to her room.

...

Amelia trudged into her room, walking over to her vanity. She swept on some cover up in case mom came home soon, so she wouldn't ask questions. Her stomach was in pain, she could feel it bruising already. God, she'd dealt with this so many times before, why did he have to start it again here?

Amelia felt the tears rolling down her eyes, she felt so low right then. She just wanted to cry herself to sleep then never wake up. She wanted to run, run away and never be found. Who would miss her anyways? Her mom? That's only one person. She could probably pull it off. She heard the front door whip open and slam shut, Randy had probably left to go have a smoke.

Her feet carried hersef upstairs, up to the guest bedroom. She crept up, sliding the window open and slipping out onto the roof. The snow had stopped for now at least. Amelia pulled her hood over her head all the same, hiding the tears, the fear, the sadness, trying to hide herself. It was then she felt her phone going off, she grabbed it from her pocket, glancing at the cover.

"Riley, hey."

"Hey, how's my Amelia?"

"I'm, good." Amelia smiled, it was so good to hear a voice she could trust.

"You don't sound like it.."

"I'm fine Riley, how are you?"

"I'm good, missing my locker buddy though." A grin spread across her face, remembering sharing a locker with Riley at high school. He was like the brother she could never have.

"I'm missing my locker buddy right about now too."

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, just Randy being Randy." She sniffled.

"That prick, did he hit you?"

"Riley, your hundred of miles away, there ain't nothing you can do."

"You could call the cops."

"I'm not going to Riley, mom lost my dad, she doesn't need to lose her soon too."

"I guess I understand you, but still, you should really tell your mother at least."

"You think she'd believe that her precious little boy was hitting me?"

"I think she would if you wouldn't hide yourself from eveyone with the makeup and the smiles." She could tell Riley was worried, even as far away as he was, she wished he was there with her so she could hug him.

"Riley, can we talk about a happier subject?"

"Fine, how's Detriot? Meet any cute boys yet?" He joked.

"Well, I've met the neighbors."

"And one of them is cute I'm guessing?"

"Can you read my mind Riley? Like seriously."

"Who is it?"

"His name is Jack. He's one of four adopted sons. He's my age, and he's adorable. But he seems like he's hiding something."

"Maybe it's something in his past. Maybe he went through the same shit your going through now. Maybe he was beat by his past parents. Who knows. Everyone's got something to hide Melia, you of all people should know that."

"I know Riley but-" Amelia cut herself off when she heard her mother calling for her from inside.

"What's up?"

"My mom's home, can I call you back later Riley? I can just sneak outside, okay?"

"Okay Melia, I'll talk to you later. Bye now."

"Bye." Amelia sighed, watching the cloud of her breath vanish into the sky before heading downstairs.

...

_Damnit I could use a smoke..._ Jack thought, laying in bed. Anything to relax his thoughts after what he'd saw that afternoon. So he sat in silence, listening. He didn't hear anybody moving about, the tv was off downstairs, he could hear his brothers snoring down the hall, other than that nothing was happening. He stepped over to his window, slipping into a light hoodie he slid out of his window, taking his smokes and lighter with him.

"You know there ain't a damn thing you can do about it." Came a soft voice from below the rooftop. Jack put out his cigarrette, tucking it into his pocket for later. Scooting down to the far side of the roof to investigate.

"Riley, I know. I'm the one who got hit alright? I'm pretty damn sure I know what he can do. Just, leave the subject be, he won't kill me or anything." Jack smiled as he recognized Amelia's frame, dimly lit by the street lamps between their houses.

"How do I know he won't? Well, one my mother would wonder where the hell I was and why she couldn't get a hold of me. And I'm pretty sure my neighbors or somebody would notice me missing. I'm betting even you would notice me being gone from miles away."

She had a point, Jack would notice she was missing. Shoot, even Bobby, Jeremiah, Angel and Evelyn would realize she was gone.

"Just calm down kid, he isn't going to do anything... No, I'm not telling my mom. Why should I? It's not like it would stop him, it'd just piss him off more... Yes it would Riley... Is that your mom in the background?... Tell her I say hi... Oh, okay, I'll talk to you later. Text me... Bye Riley." And with that he saw her pull her phone away from her face, the screen lighting up as she pressed the end button.

"Shit..." He heard her sigh as she swept away some snow to sit down besides the house.

...


	3. Night Time Revelations

**Heyyyy :) Sorry it's taken me so long to update, school's just starting out and such so ya'll know how that works. Reviews=Lovin'.**

**-Carlene**

...

Amelia stared up into the night sky. There was nothing she could do besides take the beatings from Randy. Fighting back was futile with him, she was about half the size of him, what would she be able to do?

Nothing, that was the simple answer. But if that was the only answer, the only truth, then the truth made her feel pathetic, useless, worthless. She could feel the tears welling up, ready to fall, and with a blink of her eyes, they did. The water running rivers down her cheeks. She tried her best to keep the sobs silent, but she couldn't help the couple that escaped into the night air. The thoughts in her head were screaming, racing, tearing her down bit by bit. She was breaking, she just didn't want to admit it.

"Now, now, why the tears?" Amelia glanced down the sort of alley way between the houses to see a shadowy figure standing, blocking out the light from the street. She backed herself against the house, standing up, trying to find her bedroom window. The man started walking towards her, his hand tucked into his pockets, his hood up.

"Go away.." Amelia spoke, her voice barely a whisper, her hand gripping tightly to her cell phone.

"Amelia..." His voice came, softer than before.

"How do you know my name?" She asked, taking a step away for every step he took towards her. Maybe she could out run him, she had been a track star back in Oregon...

"Because I live next door to you, silly." And with that the man pulled his hood back.

"Jesus Christ Jack! You scared the shit out of me!" She spoke harshly, hastily wiping the tears from her eyes.

Jack couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, sure you are.." She mumbled, crossing her arms.

"Awe, I'm sorry for scaring you Amelia.." He smirked that smirk that melted her anger towards him.

"Whatever... So what are you doing out this late anyways?"

To answer her, Jack pulled out his pack of cigarettes.

"Oh." She replied dumbly.

"Yeah," He nodded, "I could ask the same of you.."

"I was out here talking to my friend from Oregon. I was talking to him earlier and had to call him back." Amelia shrugged.

"And he said something that caused the tears?"

"No, I've just got shit going down. I'm just freaking out over nothing.."

"So your brother hitting you is nothing?" Jack asked quietly, looking up from his feet into her eyes, which had turned about the size of saucers.

"How did you..."

"I saw through your living room window."

"So you spy on us?" She questioned, her voice raising above a comfortable level for the silence around them.

"No, Bobby was blocking the tv, I happened to look out the window and saw him hit you." He trailed off, trying to calm her down.

"Oh.." She felt the tears blurring the edges of her vision.

"Look, I know what you're going through.."

"How could you? Evelyn never hits you, beats you, makes you feel useless, pathetic, worthless, any of that." God damnit, there were those tears again...

"Evelyn? No, she never would. But I've had families before this one. I've been transferred from foster family to foster family, my dad used to beat me. I thought as soon as I left that house, it'd stop. It didn't. I've been beat, starved, shit I've been forced to do things I didn't want to. I know what you're going through, Amelia.." God he loved the feeling of her name rolling off his lips, even if the memories he'd just brought back hurt him more than anything else.

"Oh my God, Jack. I'm so sorry." She wrapped him in a tight hug, hearing him try to conceal his sniffle. So that's what he'd been hiding...

"It's okay.." He tried to smile, pulling away from her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. You must be getting cold."

Truth be told, Amelia hadn't even noticed the cold air getting to her through her hoodie, "Yeah, kinda.. aren't you freezing?"

"Nah, just a bit chilly."

"Oh... here, c'mon.." She smiled, walking over to her window and cracking it open, "Just try not to step on my bed, please?"

Jack simply chuckled, sliding in her window behind her. She stepped over to her door, checking if anyone was up, while he walked over to her dresser. The mirror above it had pictures stuck in both sides. One that stuck out showed Amelia with some boy. She looked younger, she was getting a piggy back ride from the boy, her reddish brown curls waving in the wind. Her eyes looked straight out at him, the color of emeralds.

The boy was looking up at her, his blue eyes were bright, almost piercing. His brown hair had been messed up by Amelia by the looks of it. Jack felt a pang of jealousy run through him. Why, though?

"That's me and Riley.." Amelia smiled, looking up at the picture.

"You look like your having fun.."

"I probably was."

"You and your brother look happy there.." He smirked, placing a finger on a photo of a young Randy and Amelia. They were sitting by a river, smiling away.

"Yeah... I was around eight there." She sighed, laying down on her bed.

"So he hasn't always been this way?" He asked, taking a seat on the edge of her bed.

"Nope..." She shook her head, looking up at her ceiling.

"What happened?" Jack slipped out of his shoes, laying down besides her.

"Well..." Amelia was worried, what if he wouldn't want to talk to her after? But, he'd said he'd been through the same stuff... But could she trust him? Or would he tell Evelyn and everyone?

"If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

"Do you really want to know?"

"Look, Amelia, I know it takes more than two days to trust someone.. I understand that. If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

But Amelia did trust Jack, that's what scared her. She'd never trusted anyone besides Riley and her own mother. But Jack relaxed her, made her feel safe, made her feel she could trust him.

"You know what? I trust you Jack, and I've never really been able to trust people before."

"Your secrets safe with me."

"The only people that know about this stuff would be Randy, Riley, myself, and well, now you."

"I promise you Amelia, you can trust me." She looked up into his icy eyes, they seemed to see right through her.

"I know... Uhmm.. I guess I'll just start from the beginning.." She sighed, leaning her head onto his shoulder, finding it fit perfectly. "Well, my mom and dad have always fought, always. Randy would always be ignorant, he tried to make me ignore it to. But dad would drink, they'd fit, and he'd hit her or she'd just have enough and lock herself in her bedroom. One time when he hit her, I tried saying something, but he ended up pulling me up a flight of stairs by my hair, then down the hall by my arm, dislocating my shoulder. And throwing me into my room..." She paused when she saw his hands balling up into fists, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing.." He shrugged, loosening his hands. Truth was, he felt such rage then towards her father he wanted to beat him to a pulp. He couldn't see anyone wanting to hurt her.

"Okay..? Are you cold? Here.." She pulled a large throw blanket over the top of them.

"Thanks.." He smiled.

"No problem, so anyways. Dad left without a word, just left mom to tell me and Randy he wouldn't be coming home. Then she had a breakdown, almost tried to kill herself. And Randy, well he thought he was the man of the house." A quick yawn escaped her lips before she continued, "Well, the only so called man he'd seen was our dad, so he thought to act like him of course, that's when he started hitting me. He's gotten worse since we moved from Oregon, won't even talk to me. Riley found out one day, I didn't show up to track practice so he stopped by our place to see Randy kicking me, cursing my name."

"I told him not to tell anyone, and he never did." She yawned again, "From then on he's been my only friend really, I couldn't get too close to anyone else. He even asked me out a couple times, but I turned him down, I just thought he deserved better."

"Poor guy.." Jack mumbled.

"Heh, I guess. But anyways, dad turned up at our house one day. He said he was going to kill me and my mom, then burn his own hosue down. But mom called the cops, got a restraining order.."

"That's good." He sighed, playing with some of her hair.

"Yeah, it was for about a month and a half, until he showed up again, locked and loaded. He aimed the gun at my mom, I was hiding, and called the police. He got sent to prison that time. But then mom said one day, she found a house, far away from Oregon." Her lips stretched, yawning for a third time, "And, we packed up our things, and here I am.." She smirked.

"So, why don't you tell your mom?"

"Because I don't want to have her either have a breakdown or she wouldn't believe me, one or the other." She looked up at him.

"You could show her the bruises.." He whispered, placing his hand lightly on her face, running his thumb gently over the mark that was turning a light black and blue. When she brought her eyes up to him, she swallowed hard. She saw a look of worry in his eyes, the look of caring was carried deep underneath.

When he saw her eyes widen, looking down at his hand, he withdrew it, tucking it into his hoodie pocket. "I'm sorry.." He mumbled.

"I- it's fine." She smiled, her face flushing a deep red. "I- uhm, nevermind.."

"What is it..?" He asked, looking back to her eyes.

"It- it looked like you actually cared."

"Maybe it's because I do.." He sighed, looking down to his hands..

What he didn't know was that those words sent butterflies through Amelia, sending her heart thudding in her chest. She couldn't believe it, she thought the only person that really cared about her was Riley, she thought her chances with Jack had been slim. She seemed different from him. She wore sweats and hoodies, and basket ball shorts, tshirts, she even liked to dress in fashion clothes every once in a while. Jack was a seeming rockstar, wearing black, wearing skulls and leather. He didn't seem like he'd be even remotely interested in her.

"Thank you.." She breathed, leaning against his shoulder again, "I don't know how much this means, but I... I care a lot about you too Jack. I'm here for you."

A smile spread wide across his face, "Thanks... It means a lot, more than you could know.." He whispered into her hair. His heart was racing. The girl he'd just met two days before had changed him, he was jaded already. He'd never been able to get close to anyone truly, except Evelyn.

Jack watched her chest, seeing it rise and fall, her breathing was slowing, she was asleep. Jack just lay there, quiet, not moving. Even as she rolled over, wrapping an arm over his chest. He was just staring at her, she was beautiful in his eyes. the way the curve of her back fit perfectly in his hand, the way she was just the right size for him, she fit squarely besides him, snug as a bug. She was right for him, and he knew that..

Glancing over at her clock, his heart fell, it was almost four in the morning. Somebody would probably be up soon at his house. It killed him to pull out of her arms, tucking her in before slipping into his shoes. He cracked the window open as silently as he could.

"I know it's only been two days.. but I think I love you.." He whispered, taking one last glance at her before slipping out the window.

"I think I love you too." Amelia sighed, hearing her window shut behind him.

...

The front door slamming upstairs woke Amelia. She rolled over, finding only thin air where Jack had been the night before. Sighing, she hopped out of bed, stretching. The muscles in her stomach screamed in pain. Sucking in a quick breath between her teeth, she lifted the sweatshirt, rubbing a light hand over the large bruise.

Glancing up in the mirror, she saw the light bruising on her cheek. She put on some concealer over it, pulled her hair into a messy bun, and decided to head upstairs. Slipping some bread into the toaster, she peeked out the kitchen window. Randy was over at the Mercer's, him and Angel sitting and talking. Maybe Angel could change him, make him less violent, more mature. Maybe.

After the toast jumped up, she slathered some peanut butter onto one piece, sprinkling cinnamon sugar over it before placing the other piece on top. She trudged into the living room, turning the tv on. Looking around, she realized all the boxes had been unpacked, they had officially moved in.

"Well, that was quick.." She thought out loud, flipping through various channels, ending up on A&E, watching CSI. Nibbling on her toast, she watched the tv intently, glancing out the window to see Bobby laughing his ass off about something. She wondered what until she saw Jerry with Jack in a headlock. That begun her laughing.

...

"Jerry, stop, stop..." Jack begged, trying to throw his brother off his back.

"Where were ya last night Jackie-poo?" Jerry asked, pushing him towards the couch.

"I'm pretty sure I saw his white ass crawling in and out of Amelia's window..." Bobby laughed, watching Jack trying to kick his way out of Jerry's grasp.

"Really boy? You must really like her..." Jerry said, letting him go.

"Did you get a piece of ass?" Bobby asked.

"No, it wasn't anything like that Bobby. She's having issues, and she needed someone to talk to. I was outside having a smoke when I heard her on her cell phone. She was crying, okay? So I went and talked to her, that's all." Jack explained, straightening out his clothes.

"What issues?" Jerry asked, taking a seat besides Bobby on the couch.

"I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone.."

"Wow, you really really like this girl huh?"

"I've only known her for two days dude."

"So? I'd only known Camille for an hour and a half and I asked her out. Look were we are now, two years so far."

"Well, what if she doesn't feel the same?" Jack asked, looking at his brothers.

"She likes you Jack, lord knows why, but she does. I can tell just by the way she looks at you. And considering you won't shut up about her, I'm pretty sure you like her too. So just ask her out."

"I don't know.."

"Well, we do, so do it. I heard mom is inviting her family over for dinner tonight anyways."

"We'll see." Jack smirked, "We'll see..."

...


	4. A Dinner and Admittance

**Heyyy! Wow, a second chapter today! Woo! Well, I hope you enjoy! R&R please!**

**-Carlene**

...

"Amelia Lorraine, Evelyn invited us over, and your going like that?" Charlotte scolded her daughter, who was dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a large red track jacket with a grey camisole underneath, her hair was pulled back into a messy bun just like it had been that morning, and she had barely any makeup if any on.

"Mom, it's the Mercer's, not the queen of England." She rolled her eyes.

"Still, you could've dressed better." Her mother sighed, heading out the front door.

The trio headed out the front door, making the short commute to the neighbors.

"Charlotte! Amelia!" Evelyn smiled, allowing them to walk inside.

"Hello Ms. Evelyn." Amelia wrapped the lady in a hug.

"Hey heyy, Amelia's in the house!" Angel grinned, his white smile showing in great contrast to his dark skin.

"Hey Angel." Amelia squeaked as he squeezed her tight.

"Hey Amelia." Bobby smiled, taking her into his grasp after Angel had let go.

"Bobby." Amelia nodded.

"Oh, Jack's up in his room. You get to the top, his rooms at the left." He shoved her up about two steps before leaving her to walk on her own.

She stepped slowly up the flight of stairs, hearing a guitar softly playing. Sneaking up the last two, she peeked around the corner, seeing Jack laying in bed, playing his guitar, staring down at it. Sliding along the wall she tucked against the wall, leaning her head so she could she in his room, she watched him play.

Jack's face was set in concentration, his fingers plucking strings, putting together a beautiful melody. She was paying too much attention to his hands, she was wishing they were around her again, she didn't even notice him look up at her.

"Amelia...?" He asked, snapping her out of her daze.

"What? Oh, I'm sorry." Amelia studdered, her face turning the same crimson as her jacket.

"No, it's fine. You just surprised me." A warm smile spread across his face, setting his guitar off to the side as she walked into the room.

"Bobby told me you were up here, I just thought I'd listen." She smirked, sticking her hands in her pockets, "My families over, Evelyn invited us." She explained, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"So I heard." Jack sat up in bed besides her, their shoulders basically touching. Amelia prayed he couldn't feel her heart racing, couldn't feel the heat that was pooling up between her legs.

"Yeah." She let out a nervous laugh, "So, what was that song you were playing?"

"Oh, nothing, just something I was writing.." Jack sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"It was pretty. I like it."

"Thank you." He turned his face to look at hers. He couldn't see the bruise that he knew was on her soft face. Anger swelled withing him as he thought of how that bruise had gotten his place.

"What is it?" She asked, taking his hand in hers.

"Nothing, just thinking.." He shook his head, looking back at her, a crooked smile spreading across her face.

"About what?"

"Last night.."

"Thanks for being there last night. It feels nice to know someone else knows about him and everything.." She explained, squeezing his hand tight.

"No problem, if you need anyone to talk to.. well.. I get back into my room by climbing up the column by the front door on the porch, I'm the last window, closest to your place."

"Okay, well, you know where my window is if you want to talk about anything." Her lips curled up in amusement thinking of the night before.

"Yeah, that I do."

"JACK! AMELIA! DINNER'S READY!" Evelyn called from downstairs, the two stood up, their hands seperating. Just before they reached the stairs, Amelia touched Jack's shoulder.

"I heard what you said before you left. I think I feel the same." She whispered in his ear before placing a kiss on his cheek and heading downstairs. Jack was frozen in his spot. His head was racing, she felt the same way. That thought sent a high through him, he felt his lips curl up into a wide smile.

"Hey, Jackie-Poo, c'mon, dinner." Jerry yelled, appearing at the bottom of the steps, "What are you all smiles about?"

"She... She feels the same way about me.." He grinned again.

"Yeah, yeah, we all knew that smartie pants, now come down for dinner." Jerry shook his head, making his way to the dining room.

"Evelyn this looks delicious." Charlotte sighed, looking over the dinner prepared of a salad, fettucini alfredo and multiple sides.

"Oh, it's nothing, it was a simple recipe." Evelyn waved it off, as Amelia took a seat across from an empty seat she assumed was Jacks.

"Really? Well, it smells amazing." Her mother placed a wide smile on her face, making Amelia roll her eyes.

"Well, it's about time Jack.." Evelyn scolded as Jack took a seat across from her, his eyes dropping as soon as they met with her own.

"Sorry." He mumbled. And they dug in, every one seemed concentrated on their food, barely a few words were spoken in the beginning. Then Bobby and Randy started going back and forth about hockey, about how the season would be over soon seing as spring was coming. The conversation didn't much interest Amelia, see was excited for spring. That meant she could run, and her room would be warmer at night. Hell, they might even get her area set up in the basement to work out and dance in the living room in the basement.

"So Evelyn, we're looking at getting a new car for Amelia, do you know where we could get a good deal?" Charlotte asked, bringing Amelia's eyes up from her dinner to see Jack was staring at her.

She raised an eyebrow, to which he grinned, nudging her foot with his under the table.

"Oh, my I would say maybe that Nixon Auto Shop on 65 and 99th. They have low prices, that's where I got my van." Evelyn explained, their conversation continuing as Amelia kicked Jack back. The two continued to nudge and kick each other, until Amelia felt someone kick her harder than Jack would've. She looked next to him to see Bobby with a small smirk on his face.

She lowered her eyelids, glaring at him, causing him to chuckle. Amelia didn't see the look Randy was giving her. He didn't want his sister, even if she was a whore to him, to get involved with this Jack kid. What if she told Jack about him and he told Bobby and the rest? He'd be facing trouble. Who knows, maybe they all knew and were just acting nice to him to see if he'd admit and then go and tell the cops or something.

Before they knew it, dinner was done, and Amelia, Randy and their mother were standing back in their living room.

"Well, you two do what ya'll are going to do, I'm going to head to bed." Charlotte sighed, leaning back to hear the popping of her spine.

"Night momma." Amelia smiled, placing a kiss on her cheek before heading down into the basement. Slipping a light blue tank top, and a pair of dark grey sweats, she sprawled out in bed. Listening to the wind rustling outside her window, she heard Randy walking up the stairs, probably going to bed. Taking the remote, she turned her tv on. Watching the local news, Amelia's thoughts traveled off, her eyes closing for a split second.

...

"Damnit, girl you are so pathetic." Donnie sighed, pushing the young girl aside, making her fall to the kitchen floor. "Well, are you going to move out of my way or what?" He asked.

"Well, you pushed me down here, why don't you help me up?" She asked snidely.

"Excuse me girl? Oh, I'll help you up." He sneered, grabbing a handful of her auburn hair, and pulling her up with it. The girl let out a shrill scream, trying to pull away from him. "Well you asked me to help you up you dumb bitch, I helped you up." He smirked, pushing her again.

"Well look here, you fell again, want me to help you up?"

"No, no." The girl mumbled, scuttling away, picking herself up. Only to be pushed against the counter top, she felt the middle of her back being bruised.

"Awe, did that hurt? Well you'll learn to toughen up in time." The man stated, his breath smelling of thick whiskey and bourbon. "You know, I always wanted a boy. Someone who could make me proud. But maybe you being a girl could be of more benefit.." He sighed, running a hand up the inside of her thighs, slowly reaching her core.

"Please, don't." She cried, trying to hide away from him.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll be gentle.." He breathed, his other hand migrating over the planes of her body in her sleeping shorts and baggy t-shirt.

"Please.." She begged.

"But why..?"

"Amelia?" The girl looked over to see a man standing in the doorway.

"Amelia!" Her name came harsher from his lips.

"Now you get out of here.." Donnie growled, blocking the girl from this mystery man. The other man walked toward them. Just then her father turned and smashed her to the floor, kicking her.

"Do you want her now? Nothing but broken goods.." Her father screamed, kicking her again. He kicked her head, smashing it into the cupboard behind her, everything turned to black.

"Amelia..." The other man whispered again.

"Amelia!"

Amelia shot up from her bed, tears rolling down her face, she felt a shrill scream escape her lips before a soft pair of hands slipped up to cover her mouth.

...


	5. You'll Be Okay, I Promise

**Well, here we go, yet another chapter for ya'll to sink your teeth into ;) I love all reviewers and Readers! You guys are amazing!**

**-Carlene**

...

"Shhhh... Amelia. It's me." Her eyes frantically lifted to see Jacks face in the darkness of her room.

"Oh my god.." She sighed, when he removed his hands from her lips, tears flowing like rivers down her porcelain cheeks. Soft sobs racked her small frame as Jack pulled her into her chest.

"Shh.. It's okay Amelia.. I'm here, it was just a bad nightmare.. You're alright, he's not going to come get you. It's alright.." He continued to whisper in her ear, rubbing soothing circles into her back.

"It was horrible.." She choked into his shirt. Not even caring to wonder what he was doing in her room.

"I know, I know. But it's over now." His voice came soft as velvet with a ting like gravel on country roads.

She nodded, leaning backwards and wiping some tears from her eyes. He simply stared at her, not knowing if to ask or not-

"It was about my dad."

Oh.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, scooting closer to her.

"He- he was pushing me, touching me. But, someone saw him, they came towards him, and he started kicking me.. calling me nothing but.." _Broken goods.._ the words came back to slap her.

"Nothing but..?" Jack pushed on.

"Nothing but- nothing but broken goods.. Then he kicked my head, and I woke up." She finished, fresh tears showing in rivulets.

"You're more than broken goods Amelia, believe me.." Jack stated, his words trailing off.

"Sure.." She rolled her eyes, her voice still cracking. Jack couldn't help but stare at her, her eyes bloodshot, her cheeks still wet, her hair a mess, but she couldn't have been more beautiful. He wrapped her in his arms, not knowing what else to do. Silence followed and neither of them pulled away, just enjoying the closeness of one another.

Jack finally layed down, Amelia soon to follow, laying her head on his chest and listening to his heart beat. She felt him place a light kiss on her forehead.

"Be my girlfriend.." He whispered softly into her ears.

"What?" Her voice shattered the silence, a small giggle escaped her lips. But the look on Jacks face was broken, he looked embarassed. "Jack, no, no, no no. I just ruined that.." She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "You just startled me. But.. "

"But..?" His eyes had a spark, a hopeful spark.

"Of course!" She grinned. "Oh course I'll be your girl Jack."

He couldn't help but smile, and wrap her in a tight hug, kissing the top of her head. Jack couldn't have been happier, he'd only met Amelia three- wait four days now, after seeing it was past midnight. But, he knew something was different about her, he didn't fear her, he felt he needed to care for her though, needed to find a way to keep that prick of a brother away from her. But how?

Just then, Amelia heard the floorboards creaking above her room, causing her to go rigid.

"Shhh.." She placed a finger to her lips, standing and walking towards her door. She stuck her head out into the darkness of the basement. "Shit.." She hissed, walking out and shutting the door quietly behind her, making her way upstairs to see who was in the kitchen.

Her eyes rolled back, seeing Randy standing in front of the door, his arms crossed.

"What's all the shouting about?" He asked simply.

"Sorry, I was watching TV, CSI, I wasn't expecting what happened. Sorry I woke you.." She apologized, turning to head back to her room.

"Uh-uh-uh. I know he's down there. I didn't see him, but I know he's down there." Randy smiled, squeezing her upper arm tightly, causing her to cringe.

"Who in the hell are you talking about?" She asked, trying to rip from his grip, only making him wrap his fingers tighter.

"You're little boyfriend, Jack. He's down there, probably fucking you, you cheap whore!" Randy raised his voice.

"No one's down there Randy, I don't know what your talking about. Now let go of me." She spat, wrigling her arm out his grasp.

"Fine, I will." Randy smirked, shoving her, causing her to fall down a few stairs before catching herself with the banister.

"Randy!" She hissed.

"What? Not my fault your a klutz you dumb bitch!" Randy laughed, walking down the stairs, closing in on her before she felt his foot in her gut, causing her to stumble down a few more steps.

"Randy, please stop. Unless you want mom to hear." Amelia begged.

"Maybe, but I don't know... It's not like you'll tell her."

"But I could scream..." She said smugly.

"Would you?" He asked, grabbing her by the throat and pushing her against the wall. He was satisfied when her face began turning a deep red. "I thought not.." He shoved her down the rest of the steps. She felt her head hit the banister, before everything turned black, she heard Randy's footsteps retreating upstairs.

...

Jack waited until he heard Randy's footsteps going away, and waited a minute for Amelia to come back in the room. When she didn't, his heart started to race. Jack peeked out the door, seeing a small lump on the floor just a few feet from him.

"Oh my God..." He sighed, running to her side, "Amelia, Amelia!" He shook her, just hearing a slight groan from deep within her throat. But that was it.

"Amelia, you're going to be okay, I promise." Jack picked her up, throwing her small frame over his shoulder he walked her into her room, cracking open her only window.

...


	6. Coffee and a Call

**Hey ya'll. Sorry about the late update, but I think I'll keep with the weekend-ly updates. With school and football games and such it's hard to find time to write during the week. But here it is! I hope you enjoy! Revies=Lovin's**

**-Carlene**

...

"Robert Mercer, leave your brother alone!" Evelyn scolded, throwing on a coat, a frantic knock on the front door came and she rushed to answer it.

"Charlot-"

"Have you seen Amelia?" Charlotte looked flustered.

"Actually Charlotte, I think you and I need to talk..." Evelyn stated.

"What is it? Where is she?"

"Dear, she's upstairs, but before you go see her, I want to tell you something.." Evelyn sighed, motioning Charlotte out the door onto the porch.

"Now Charlotte, I know you may not believe this, but I believe Randy is beating Amelia."

"What? You're crazy! I mean, I know they rough house every once in a while, but Randy loves Amelia!" Charlotte scoffed, amazed her new neighbor would make such accusations.

"I understand that he may love her dear, but Jack brought her home last night, apparently he'd snuck out to have a cigarette and heard Randy and Amelia arguing. Well, he went to go check it out, and brought Amelia here, she was unconcious, Charlotte."

"No, no, no. Amelia was probably sleeping, can I go see her?"

"Well," Sighed Evelyn, giving up on her argument for right now, "Yeah, sure."

Evelyn showed Charlotte up to Jack's room, the door cracked showing Amelia sleeping soundly. What her mother saw was a light bruise on her cheek, but she must've fallen, Amelia was never really the most graceful person.

"Amelia?" She asked, walking over to the bed, "Amelia, baby?" She shook her daughter lightly. Amelia stirred, her eye's fluttering open.

"Mom?"

"Yes hun, now can you explain why you're over here at the Mercer's?" Her mother asked, a bit more serious.

"Oh, well, okay, so I was outside last night, talking to Riley. Then I heard someone on the Mercer's roof, and I peeked out to see it was Jack, he was upset mom."

"Are you telling me the truth Amelia Lorraine?"

"Mom! I am. Okay? So Jack was upset, and I went to climb up the post on the porch, to talk to him. But, I fell, and I woke up earlier, and apparently when I fell, I'd knocked myself out."

"Oh my goodness, honey, are you okay?" Charlottes expression grew worried, her hand flying to her daughters forehead.

"Yeah mom, I'm okay, thanks. Please, don't be mad at me." She sighed, pushing her mothers hand away.

"No, hun, you just wanted to help out Jack-"

"Which I wanted to say thank you for." Jack smiled at Amelia from the door way, winking behind her mothers back.

"Not a problem.." Amelia giggled, her stomach shrieking in pain, and seeing Jack reminded Amelia of something, "Oh, mom!"

"Yeah?" Her mother looked towards her.

"Well, I just thought you'd like to know that Jack asked me to be his girlfriend, and I accepted." Amelia couldn't contain the wide frin that spread across her face.

"Awe hun, that's wonderful!" Her mom smiled, looking over at Jack, she didn't know the extreme sense of relief Amelia had felt, she felt that her excuse wouldn't pass with her mom. She thought her mother would be furious, banning her from the Mercer's indefinitely.

"Well, I believe we should let Amelia rest a bit more before sending her home, huh Charlotte?" Evelyn inquired.

"Hm, sure. I'll see you home soon okay hun?" Charlotte looked back to her daughter, wiping some of her auburn hair from her face.

"Okay mom." Amelia tried to smile, the bruise on her face making it painful.

"I love you hun." Her mother placed a kiss on her head before heading out the door with Evelyn. Jack simply stood, leaning against the doorframe, his blue eyes sparkling in her direction.

"What?" Amelia laughed.

"Oh nothing." Jack smirked, walking over to the bed, laying down besides her.

"Oh really?"

"Mhm. I was just looking at a very beautiful girl." He smiled, his thumb stroking the side of her face. The skin under his thumb turning a bright hue of red. "You're cute when you blush, you know that?"

"Hush.." Amelia giggled, pushing his hand away.

"So, how are you feeling?" Jack asked, his expression was a mix of serious and worry.

"I'm good, just hurts to laugh, or smile.." A corner of her lips tugged upwards, a small shrug rolling off of her shoulders.

"Thats not good. Amelia, why didn't you just tell your mom what happened?"

"Because, I love Randy. And, I don't want to lose him."

"Amelia, he beat the shit out of you last night, you could've been killed. I mean, what if you'd hit your head or if he'd ruptured your appendix or something!" Jacks voice was frantic, its volume rising.

"Jack, calm down, please." She put a hand on his shoulder, "Now, I know he beats me, and I know he probably doesn't love me back, but baby, he's family." Jack simply nodded lightly before pulling her arm across his waist and leaning his head on hers.

"I understand." He whispered into her hair.

"Thanks." She stated, looking up at him, "So, what do you want to do today?" She asked.

"What? I would think you'd want to sleep."

"I slept last night and this morning, we should do something.."

"Uhm. Let's see, it's Saturday?" Jack inquired.

"Mhm."

"Well, let's see, I have some money, want to go to Caribou and get some coffee or something?"

"Sure, sounds great." A smile spread across her face, her cheek not even bothering her.

...

"Dude, Randy, ain't that yo sister with that Mercer kid?" Mike asked, hitching his thumb towards a couple walking on the opposite side of the street.

"Shit.. I can't believe my ma let's her hang out with that kid." Randy shook his head.

"What's wrong with him besides bein a Mercer?"

"I just don't like the kid ya'know? He's too good to be a Mercer, too quiet, too shifty. He's up to somethin.."

"Nah, just looks like he has a thing for your sister, and I can see why.." Mike smirked, looking at Amelia's backside as they passed them.

"Dude, what the hell? That's my sister!" Randy smacked him upside the head.

...

"Favorite color?" Amelia asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Hm, probably blue, yours?"

"Mine's either green or blue." She shrugged, "Depends on the hue."

"Mmm.." Jack nodded, drinking some of his beverage, trying to think of another question, "Favorite movie?"

"Hmm, maybe Saving Private Ryan, or Titanic, yours?"

"Mine... would have to be Breakfast Club, or even the Saw movies..."

"Gah, those movies are so weird though!" Amelia shook her head. Jack had insisted on this question game, and she was running out of questions herself.

"Favorite food?"

"Chinese."

"Same!"

"Let me see... where do you want to go in life?" Jack cocked his head to the side.

"I don't know, I want to go into music, or film. Once I get a career and such, I'd like to settle down. Where do you want to go?"

"I don't know, music probably, touring with the band. Get married, settle down with lots of money." He nodded.

"Typical rockstar life, huh?"

"You could call it that." Jack chuckled, but truth was, he wanted to go on tour, take her with him, then come back and settle down with her. He wanted nothing but her, but was afraid she would be weirded out if he told her. He didn't know she felt the same exact way.

"One, Two, Three like a bird I sing, because you've given me-" Amelia's cell phone started to sing.

"Sorry," She mumbled in apology before answering her phone, "Hello?"

"Amelia?" A gravelly voice came from the opposite end, she peered at her screen to see that it was an unknown number she was talking to.

"Yes, this is her, may I ask who this is?"

"You don't remember me? I would think you would after everything that happened in Oregon.." The mans voice was sinister. Then it hit her, like a wave. Memories came back, she felt her legs shaking, they would've given out had she been standing, her eyes welled up with tears, but not of joy, of fear. Jack looked at her, his eyes filled with worry, he saw the fear and scared look in her eyes like a deer in the headlights.

"Amelia, who is it?" He asked sharply.

"My Dad..."

...


	7. You're a Mercer Now

...

"Dad..." She sighed again.

"Yes Amelia, it's me." The voice on the other line chuckled.

"How'd you get my number?" She asked, trying to make her voice firm and serious, not quaking and fearful.

"Oh, I have my sources darling, I have my sources. So, someone told me you have a new boyfriend?"

"What?" Amelia's eyes were the size of saucers, looking at Jack across the table from her, he was watching her like a hawk.

"Yeah, that's right, I know about this Jason, Jacob, John, what the hell ever his name is. Does he treat you well?"

"Yeah, he treats me very well."

"I should meet this boy, I should be driving by Detroit here pretty soon."

"Ah." Amelia squeaked, fear panging throughout her, trying to swallow down the lump in her throat.

"You know, I was just thinking about what had happened before, maybe what I did to you could be more fun now.." She heard his laugh before a click and the line went dead. She couldn't bring the phone from her ear, she was frozen. She hadn't realized she was shaking until a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Amelia.." Jack looked her right in the eyes before he saw her shake her head back and forth, stand, and walk out the door. She just let her feet take her wherever, they just took her out of the building, around the corner, a small way down an alleyway and down to her knees.

He was back, she couldn't get around it. He had found her, he'd found her family. But how? She thought her mom hadn't left a trace of them back in Oregon. Maybe she'd just missed something, and he'd found that hanging coat tail and held on tight. But she couldn't get away from him, he had her phone number, he knew she had a boyfriend, he knew probably where she lived.

She couldn't have felt any more alone or small than that moment. She just sat there, tears rolling down her cheeks, she wasn't even sobbing, just letting the tears flow, each one blurring her vision before falling and clearing her eyesight, leaving space for the next tear to build up. She felt numb, she felt afraid, she felt destroyed, she felt violated, anxious, she felt she was the only beating heart in the world.

Tear flowed, and eventually the need to breathe became hard to accomplish, every breath coming in a short gasp. She felt herself suffocating in her own world. The warm arms that wrapped themselves around her weren't even felt by Amelia. The soft lull of Jack's voice trying to sooth her was unheard. And Jack knew this.

He knew what she was feeling, what it was like to think you'd found a safe place only to have that person who haunts your dreams return and turn everything upside down. But seeing Amelia like this was killing him, she seemed so lifeless, her skin was a translucent white. Her once bright emerald eyes were iced over, a mixing pot of emotions showing through. The effect this man had on her was shocking.

"Amelia, baby, he's not going to hurt you, okay? I mean, I told Bobby about Randy, I can tell him Angel and Jeremiah about everything if you'd like. We can keep you safe, he won't get to you, that prick won't ever hurt you again." Jack whispered into her ear.

"No," She started, her auburn hair shaking along with her head, "He'll just find me again, he always will. Always."

"Babe, he won't find you, and if he did again, me and my brothers could take care of him."

"I don't want your family involved in this, someone could get hurt."

"Amelia, you're my girlfriend, you're Angel and Jeremiahs friend, hell you even get along with Bobby." He chuckled, "You're part of the Mercer family, and Mercer's take care of one another."

"Jack, I'll be fine, I can deal with him." Amelia sniffled, wiping her tears from her face, trying to put a strong look on her face.

"And I'll be right there to help you, I'm not going to leave you with him Amelia. I know you think you can take him, but I don't trust him." Jacks eyes were filled with a sense of protection, raw and roiling.

"Fine." She agreed, "But he's going to find me. There's no way I can hide from him."

"I think we could find a way." Jack sent her a crooked grin, winking before offering to help her up. "But we've got to tell your mom he's back."

...

"No hun, your fathers in jail, he wouldn't be able to find us, maybe it was just someone from Oregon that knew everything that happened and is just pulling your leg." Her mother tried to rationalize.

"Mom, the only person that knew about that stuff in Oregon is Riley, and you expect him to do that to me?" Amelia nearly shouted.

"Maybe Riley told someone he shouldn't have trusted." Her mother shrugged.

"After all these years that he hasn't told a soul, you think he's really going to tell someone now?" Amelia's voice raged, she couldn't believe how foolish her mother was being.

"Amelia, calm down. I'm sure it's nothing."

"Now, Mrs. Billings, I understand why you might want to brush this off." Jack started, "But would just any guys voice cause the look on Amelia's face that I saw at Caribou? Would it cause her enough pain to start crying?"

"Maybe they were just a good impersonator."

"How can you just brush this off? How can you think I'm lying to you about something so important? He's back mom, and we need to find a way to get away from him, he could hurt someone!"

"Now Amelia, if he really is back, and if it'll help you, I'll go down to the police station and file a report, and show the police the restraining order." Charlotte crossed her arms.

"That could help, but I just wanted to tell you Jack said the Mercer's will watch out too." She explained, nodding her head to the side, in the direction of their household.

"Okay, then we're safe Amelia, just calm down. Now have you seen your brother? We're having dinner soon, would you like to eat over Jack? We're having some Chicken Picata."

"Uhm, I'm sure my mom will be fine with that. I'd love to stay over for dinner." Jack smiled.

...

**Peekaboo! Haha I hope ya'll liked this chapter, I'm sorry it took so long for me to update, school's been hellish and i've caught some cold/flu bug. I'd like to send a huge thank you to layababbii, thanks for the reviews you're truly awesome ;) remember reviews=lovin'.**

**Peace, Carlene**


	8. A Bad Nightmare

...

"So, Jack, when did you move in with Evelyn?" Charlotte asked, looking up from her plate.

"I moved in when I was young, around nine." He nodded.

"Oh. Had Bobby and the rest already moved in?"

"Yep, I was the last one." Jack shrugged, looking over to Amelia.

"Well, that must be nice, being able to stop moving."

"Yeah, it is really nice to stop moving from home to home." He scooped up another forkful of chicken abodo. The room went silent, just the sond of utensils scraping against the dishware, and Amelia and Jack exchanging flirty looks.

"Jack, do you want any desert?"

"Uhm, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think so Ms. Billings. I'm full." He smiled, patting his belly for effect.

"Oh, it's not rude, it's understandable." Charlotte nodded, looking to Amelia.

"No thanks mom." She shook her head.

"Okay." Her mom smiled, picking up their plates and heading into the kitchen. Amelia and Jack made their way to the living room and turned on the television.

"Care for anything?" Jack asked, taking the remote.

"Nah, I'm fine with whatever." Amelia yawned, cuddling up next to Jack on the couch.

"Okay..." They ended up on Mythbusters on Discovery, neither one of them truly paying attention, Amelia was finding it hard to simply keep her eyelids open.

"So, do you think your mom is really brushing this whole ordeal off?"

"No, I don't. I mean, I hope not." She sighed.

"I don't know, she seemed pretty calm."

"She does that with ease, I learned my acting skills from her." Amelia stated matter-of-factly.

"I see." Jack trailed off, seemingly getting caught up in the show. Amelia turned herself around, so she was laying on her side facing Jack. She examined him, simply staring at his face. His bright blue eyes scanning the television, flickering back and forth from side to side. This amused Amelia greatly.

"What?" Jack finally looked down to her after she stiffled a giggle.

"Nothing, you're just damn cute when you watch TV."

"Oh, sure, sure, and your cute when you laugh." A devilish grin came across his face as his hands made their way to her side, tickling her furiously.

"NO! Jack!" Amelia shouting, trying to roll away from him, but falling off the couch, Jack falling on top of her.

"Jack! Stop it!" She squeaked.

"Jack! Stop it!" He copied her, causing her to erupt in even more laughter. But Amelia couldn't help but feel a stiff Jack when his leg brushed against her. This sent a tingling from her leg up to her core, up to her stomach, making her giggle even more.

"Seem's someone's a little excited." A michevious smile spread across her face and a small blush came across his.

"Maybe, but it's only that way when your around." He smirked, placing a kiss on her lips, and continuing to tickle her. The fight continued on for a good five to ten minutes, and then they just simply laid on the floor, a tangled mess of limbs and breath. Amelia's head was on Jacks chest, listening to the rhythmic drumming of his heart. She didn't realize her eyelids closing before darkness took over and she couldn't hear Jack talking to her.

...

"Amelia! Look over here!" Amelia looked over, a large man grabbing her jaw, and tilting her head up. The dark hair, small goatee, black eyes, they were all recognizable to her. But she couldn't put a name to the face.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want him?" He whipped her around, pointing a gun at Jack, the sight made her want to cry. Jacks arms were tied, but he was standing, Bobby, Angel and Jeremiah were behind him, the same position.

"Yes." She said firmly. "Yes. I do."

"You sure about that?" He questioned, walkign towards Jack, the gun pointed to his temple. Amelia wanted to run to his side, but her feet were plastered in place.

"Yes. I am." She stated, "Leave. Him. Alone." She felt her hands curl into steel fists.

"Oh, but why?" He looked to her, bandishing the gun around, finally facing it to her.

"Because. I love him. Please, leave him alone." She felt warm streams running rivlets down her face.

"Okay, now what about you, pretty boy?" He asked, walking over to Amelia, facing Jack.

"You want her alive?"

"Yes." He looked over to the man, a look of fury, of fiery, hot fury burned in his eyes. Then it hit her, she turned and was running, running for no reason, to no location. But she felt her self not running fast enough.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked, appearing in front of her.

"Running." She screamed, looking behind her, the man was in quick pursuit. She continued to run, to run to Jack, away from this man. But she couldn't run fast enough, a shot rang out, a pressure was felt, and she fell to the ground. Her chest burning, she felt herself screaming but not making a noise, Jack was staring at her, trying to run, but not even coming close. Then everything went black, and she found herself fighting nothing but her sheets.

"Leave me alone!" She cried, ripping at the sheets some more.

"Amelia Lorraine!" Charlotte shouted, placing her arms around her daughter.

"What? What?" Amelia came out of the state she was in, looking up at her frightened mother in confusion.

"Amelia? Honey? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, what happened?" Amelia looked at her mother again.

"You were dreaming, screaming. You woke me up."

"What? I'm sorry. I guess I was having a nightmare..." She shook her head.

"Yeah, one bad nightmare." Her mother rubbed her back.

...

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry I haven't update in forever! Just school and getting a new laptop took over, so here I am! I hope to get another chapter up soon! Thanks to all who've stuck with me so far! Reviews are always amazing and helpful! They keep this machine runnin. Thanks again! Peace, Love, Deuces.**

**-Carlene**


	9. Coming Home

...

"Hey mom! What do you want from the store?" Amelia asked, grabbing her moms keys from the hook.

"Uhm, I don't know hun, get a carton of eggs, a can of beef broth, oh and some french onion soup for au jou. Oh, grab me a coke while your out too please hun?" Her mom asked from up stairs.

"Okay! Sounds great!" She slipped into her coat and boots, heading out the door.

"HEADS UP!" Amelia looked over to the Mercers house only to get a snowball to the face. "OH SHIT!"

"What the hell?" Amelia laughed, holding back a tinge of anger in her voice.

"Sorry about that.." Bobby smirked, "I've just got deadly aim." He sighed, wiping some snow away from her coat. "So, where you going?"

"I... am going to the store." She jingled her keys in his face.

"Oh no, don't think you're going anywhere alone, yep, Jack told us all about everything."

"Ah."

"Yep, Hey! Jerry, take over for a bit, I'm going to the store with Melia here, kay?" He turned his head over his shoulder.

"Have fun!" Jerry waved before launching a snowball in Angels direction.

"C'mon." Bobby swiped her keys from her hand and walked nonchalantly to her car.

"Oh! Don't think so buddy!" Amelia giggled, but got a reply of the drivers side door slamming.

"You comin or what?" Bobby laughed, starting the car. Amelia grumbled, making her way to the passenger side.

"So, where we goin again?"

"To the store, you know, the place with the groceries..."

"Yeah, yeah, hush up. So what have you been up to lately? Well, besides everything else."

"Well, not a whole lot, just sitting around the house, watching TV." She shrugged.

"Ah, yeah, that's basically what Jackie-poo did yesterday besides sleeping."

"Oh, he needs his beauty sleep."

"Honey, if sleep made people cute, well, then Jack ain't gettin enough."

"Oh, I don't know.." Amelia joked.

"Okay, okay, I get it." Bobby tried to wave her off, then silence fell over them, just the sound of the snow crunching under the tires.

"What's going on here?" Bobby asked, being forced to stop behind a couple of cars, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary until the man in the first car got out and approached the second car, a handle of a pistol visible in his waistband.

"Oh shit..." Amelia sighed, feeling herself begin to shake.

"Just calm down, you're fine..." Bobby tried to stall her, turning his head for a way out, then two loud pops rang out, the man was holding a pistol in the air.

"FUCK!" Bobby shouted, throwing the car into reverse and skidding out. "We'll just have to find a different way to the store..." He mumbled.

"You knew that guy didn't you?" Amelia looked over to him, eyes wide.

"Maybe, I recognize the guy. You should too considering I saw Randy hanging with him once, he probably just got ripped off on a drug deal."

"In the middle of the fucking street?"

"Yeah, shit happens all the time."

After arriving at the store, the pair remained quiet, just a small tension between them. Truth was, that Amelia's head was reeling, trying to picture Randy hanging with the man in the street.

"I'll drive ya home." Bobby once again swiped her keys from her, and they made their way home. "I'm sorry to drive you into what happened earlier.."

"Bobby, it's fine, you couldn't have known what was going to happen..." Amelia shook her head.

"Yeah, but still, Jack will have my hide once he finds out. He really cares about you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, like really. I mean, fairy has liked girls before, but he's always found a million flaws in every one of them. But not you." He looked over to her.

"Ah." Amelia couldn't hide the fiery red fluch that came upon her face.

"Yeah-"

Just then, Amelia's phone began to ring, she pressed the green button, placing the speaker to her ear.

"Hello?" She asked, her voice quivering a bit.

"Amelia, how are you?" The sound of his deep voice sent her heart to the pit of her stomach.

"What do you want from me?" She shouted.

"Amelia, is it him?" Bobby whispered a bit harshly, answering himself by seeing how paper white she'd become. He grabbed her phone, ripping it from her hand.

"Listen up, you sick bastard, leave Amelia alone. You have absolutely no idea who you're up against. You don't stand a chance, you're never going to get close to her you sick fuck, so stop trying, I never want to hear about you calling her, again." Bobby pressed the end button before the man on the other line could say another word.

"Oh my god..." Amelia's voice shook, then finally gave way to torrents of tears, "Why? Why does he have to come after me? After all these years, can't he just get off on what he's done to me before? Does he have to come and destroy my life when I finally thought I could be happy? God, just why?" She finally choked, burying her face in her hands.

"Amelia, Amelia..." Bobby spoke firmly, pulling the car over. "Listen to me, okay? He's never going to get anywhere NEAR you. That sick prick won't get a chance, he'll have to come through me, Angel, Jerry, and Jack, hell even my ma and yours. You have to believe us, but I have an idea, maybe it'd be safer for you to stay with us, we can't protect you in your house, I mean we can, but not as well. He's after you, not your ma, and not your brother. My mom knows the whole situation, she'd understand, and Jack would feel so relieved. Amelia, how does that sound?"

Amelia could only move her head, slightly, between sobs.

"That's it. You're coming with me, I'll pick up your clothes and everything, you're living with us until this is all over. You're comin home." He stated, starting up the car and tearing off towards the Mercer residence.

...

**Hey all! Sorry it's been a while. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I'm gonna be writing more over this Christmas break, no worries! Reviews are always appreciated! Love you all! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 3**

**-Carlene**


	10. We Need To Talk

...

"Amelia, here's you're room." Evelyn smiled, showing Amelia a small bedroom, with a nice view out the back of the house. The bed was made up in a cute blue and grey comforter set.

"I know it's not much, but at least its a place to sleep until this whole mess blows over." She smiled.

"Evelyn, its perfect, thank you." Amelia offered up a small grin before setting her old hockey bag on the floor, and her backpack on the bed.

"Okay sweetie, well, I'll leave you to get settled in." Evelyn patted Amelia on the shoulder before walking out. Amelia sighed, slumping onto the bed, rolling over, and closing her eyes. After what felt like hours, she felt herself dozing off, but a hand wrapping around her waist startled her.

"Hey. Hey! Amelia, it's just me." Jacks smirk came across his face.

"Oh, you scared me." Amelia yawned.

"I'm sorry, just go back to sleep."

"Okay.." She smiled, curling up against his frame, fitting perfectly.

"Goodnight.." He placed a soft kiss to her forehead before nustling his nose into her hair.

"Do you want me here?" A small squeak came from her mouth.

"What? Of course I want you here. You're safe, safer than you would ever be at home, and, you're closer, less sneaking out for me." He chuckled.

"Just checking." She smiled, running a finger in circles around his abdomen.

"Yepp... I'm surprised your mom let you stay over here. Little Amelia Billings living with the Mercer family." He teased, playing with a strand of hair.

"Oh trust me, she wasn't so keen on letting me, Evelyn actually came over and talked her into it. Well, along with Bobby beside her. She was freaking out about me living in the same huose as you."

"Why's that?"

Amelia looked up to him, "Think about it..."

"Ah, something along the lines of this?" He smirked, placing his lips to hers. He could feel her smile against his lips. They continued placing kisses on each other until she felt his tongue on her lips, begging for entrance, which she granted. She felt a mischievious hand run down her side, to her waist, to her ass. She couldn't help but giggle at him. Running one of her hands up his shirt, feeling his firm chest, making him moan. She couldn't help but laugh a bit when she felt his jeans press against her core, he was very firm.

"Jack.." She groaned, having his lips travel down her cheek, to her neck. The situation progressed until they heard Angels door slam next to her room, tearing them asunder, leaving them with nothing but silent giggles before Amelia cuddled back up to Jack. She felt his chest move as he hummed a small melody, putting her to sleep almost immediately.

...

"Hey, Amelia?" Evelyn knocked softly on her door, with no reply, she knocked a second time before opening to door silently. Taking in the scene, she couldn't help but smile, seeing Amelia curled up to Jack, both of them sound asleep.

The whole situation was heartwarming, Jack had finally found, to evelyns perspective, his perfect match. And she couldn't be happier. She just hoped Amelia wouldn't betray Jack, wouldn't hurt him, Evelyn didn't know how much more the boy could take.

...

"AYE! Damian! Over here!" Bobby shouted, watching the puck on the ice, soon taking over it. He'd been playing hockey now for a good hour or two until he noticed someone watching him from the boards.

"Hey! Mercer!" Bobby slid closer to the kid, finally recognizing Randy Billings.

"Sup Billings?" Bobby asked.

"Not a whole lot, hey, have you seen my sister lately?"

"Uh, no I haven't, I think she was talking to your mom about taking some trip back to see some friends from Oregon, to catch up with them or something." Bobby shrugged.

"You sure?"

"Yepp.."

"Sounds like something she'd do..." Randy rolled his eyes, lighting a smoke.

"Why's that?"

"Oh, she's just having some issues adjusting to life here."

"Doesn't seem like it, she fits in with Jack and Angel and such." Bobby nodded.

"Yeah, but you aren't around when she's at home." Randy shrugged, looking around at the game, but he gave Bobby enough time to see a car in the parking lot behind him, with a rather bulky looking man inside.

"Dude, who's that?" Bobby jutted his chin towards the car.

"Him? I don't know.. Probably some creep, but hey, I'm gonna head out, you see my sister, send her my way, or home."

"Okay, see ya Billings."

"See ya." Bobby stood and watched as the man in the car followed Randy's every move, but Randy never got into the car. The whole situation creeped Bobby out, but he acted cool, waiting until he could reach a cell phone and call home. Dialing up the number as quick as he could, Bobby tried his best to stay incognito.

"Hello?"

"Jerry..." Bobby sighed.

"Yeah, Bobby, what's up?"

"Okay, so here's the whole deal, I'm up at the rink playing hockey and here shows up Billings."

"Bobby, Amelia's here."

"No, asshole, her brother, Randy. He shows up and starts asking me about fairy's girl. And behind him is this big guy in a car, watching us. I finally got him to go away, and this guy is watching his every move."

"And...?"

"And, I think it might be her dad, asshole."

"Do you really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, well, if anything, wait a while til you come home, or go to a buddies house, we don't need either of them following you home."

"Jerry, the kid lives next door to us, he knows where we live."

"Okay, fine then, come get me, leave Angel at home just incase."

"Come home on your own, you have two fine legs."

"Fine than." Bobby hung up and got his stuff together, getting home as soon as he could, slamming the door behind him.

"JACKIE!" Bobby screamed.

"Bobby Mercer, you know better than to shout in this house, now your brother is upstairs sleeping."

"With Amelia.?"

"Yes, with Amelia, now what is so urgent?"

"I was playing hockey, and I think Amelia's dad was there."

"Damnit Bobby, what do you want?" Jack mumbled, standing at the top of the stairs.

"We need to talk, fairy."

...

**Hey all! Sorry this update has taken FOR-EVER to get done. School's just taken over... So, here's the new chapter, I'm going to try and get a new one up over my short break this weekend. And I'd like to send a HUGEE shout out to all of you that have reviewed this story, you are all truly amazing and really keeping this story going. Everytime I get an email on my blackberry that has a review on it, it brings a smile to my face. So keep me smiling and keep this story going, REVIEW! I love love LOVE you all :) Thank you sooo much. :)**

**-Carlene**


	11. Whispers and a Voicemail

...

"So you just think it was him...?"

"Yes, I'm pretty damn sure it was, he was watching mine and her brothers every move." Bobby spoke like he was nervous himself.

"Ugh.." Jack sighed, running a hand over his face, "Well, what are we gonna do? You told her mom not to say anything to him about her being here, right?"

"Yeah, she said she'd keep him away from here, we just have to watch her like a hawk, maybe make sure she doesnt leave the house almost."

"I'm up for anything, but I'm not so sure about her."

"Jack, she's afraid enough of this asshole, she'll do anything so he doesn't get to her. And she'll always listen to you."

"You don't know that Bobby, I mean, she's afraid of him, but what if she feels the need to take him on herself? I mean, it doesn't sound like something she'd do, but.."

"She'll listen to you, and if not, she'll be forced to listen to me, Angel, and Jerry." Bobby nodded, "Just make sure that she doesn't know about this until we can confirm it..."

"I can try to keep it from her."

"But you'll be a sucker and tell her anyways, I know it. Just, if you do tell her, just calm her down, and tell her I've got it handled, okay?"

"Okay.."

"Now go back upstairs and cuddle with your girl, ya fairy." Bobby smacked him upside the back of the head before heading into the living room. Sneaking back upstairs, Jack made his way back into the bedroom, realizing Amelia hadn't even stirred a bit, that is, until he tried crawling in bed.

"Hm..?" Amelia groaned, rolling over, a sleepy smile spreading across her face making Jacks heart skip a few beats in itself.

"Nothin, had to go to the bathroom, everything's fine. Evelyn should be started on dinner pretty soon if you're interested.." He smiled, sweeping some hair back from her face.

"Mm, I'm pretty comfy right where I am.." She smiled, curling up to him.

"And I'm not about to disagree." He sighed, taking in her smell, strawberries and cream, with a hint of vanilla.

"So what were you guys talking about?" She sighed, looking up to him.

"What? We weren't talking, didn't you hear? I went to the bathroom."

"Hmm... silly me thinking I could make out you and Bobby talking in the kitchen.."

"Nope, maybe Bobby and Jerry were talking." Jack shrugged, "Now go back to sleep." He pushed out a fake yawn.

"But why?" Amelia whined, hitting him lightly on the chest.

"Because, I said so. Or I could light a cig and stare at the ceiling."

"Eh, I'd rather not smell your smoke..." Amelia groaned.

"Exactly, so go to sleep." Jack smirked, rolling over her, effectively squishing her.

"Jack..." Amelia groaned, pushing up against his back to no avail, and laughter began to take over, "Jack, off, please..." Amelia laughed some more, shaking Jack.

"Eh, I don't know, I'm pretty damn comfortable.." Jack grinned.

"But..." Amelia sighed, unable to see Jacks eyes roll back from the feeling of her breath on his neck.

"But what? This butt?" Jack asked, lower his hand to the side of her bottom.

"No, this butt." Amelia grimaced, pushing up against his ass.

"Oh, you like that butt?"

"It's a cute butt, but it's a fat ass."

"What?" Jack laughed, every inhale of air squishing her a bit more.

"Ugh..." She groaned, beginning to fake cry, "Jacckk..." She sobbed, "Get your fat ass off of me..."

"Fine, I guess..." He whined, rolling onto his side next to her, he began running a finger up and down her abdomen.

"Well, I guess if you want to go to bed..." Amelia rolled her eyes, forcing herself on her side, her back to him.

"Awe, why the back?" Jack questioned, scooting closer to her.

"You..." Amelia started, rolling to face him, "Wanted to sleep. And if you wanna sleep I don't wan-"

Her speech was interrupted by his lips pushing themselves onto her.

"Hush now." Jack whispered between kisses. Amelia wrapped her arms around his neck, snaking her fingers into his messy hair. Her spine tingled as he ran a single finger down it, putting his hand underneathe her sweatpant covered butt, pulling her on top of him. Jack smiled as he felt her hands sliding down his side, reaching the bottom of his shirt and sliding up underneathe it. Amelia couldn't help but giggle when his arousal became very apparent through his jeans.

"I said, hush." Jack smiled against her lips.

"Somebody's a bit excited." Amelia tutted to him, lifting her face from his.

"You could say that.." He tilted his head a bit, watching as her face came closer and she gave him an eskimo kiss. When he tilted his jaw forward to kiss her, she backed her face away.

"Such a tease.." Jack shook his head.

"Always." A grin spread across her face.

"That's not very nice to tease people.." He looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

"What do you think you do whenever you walk on the street?" Amelia asked, returning the facial expression.

"The same thing you do." Jack smiled earnestly.

"Awe, how cutee..." She cooed.

"Yeah, yeah, cute." Jack rolled hi eyes before reaching behind her neck and pulling her into him before he rolled over, allowing him to be on top.

"Oh, pushy pushy." Amelia joked, before leaning to meet his lips once again.

"There we go." Jack stated, licking the edge of her lips before biting down gently, eliciting a small moan from her. He decided to move his hands beneathe her sweatshirt, ravishing the warmth coming from her soft skin. He was drunk on her scent and he couldn't get enough of it. His fingertips reached the edge of her sports bra.

"Mmm." Amelia groaned, reaching under Jacks shirt, feeling his muscular back and shoulders, allowing her to pull herself up against him. Loving the feeling of him fitting perfectly against her, she pulled him in closer, holding on like the sky was falling around them. She whispered his name as his hands made their way under her bra, taking one in his hand and squeezing lightly, he pinch at her nipple, causing her to moan once more. His pants weren't big enough for him anymore, he kissed down her cheek, to her jaw, to her neck. Amelia hesitantly ran a finger along the top of his jeans, feeling his belt buckle, she moved her finger back upwards, pulling a groan of sadness from the body on top of hers.

"Jack, there are other people in the house.." Amelia sighed, unhappily.

"We can be quiet.."

"Bu-"

"Jack! Amelia! Supper is ready!"

"But dinner's ready.." Amelia winked at him, kissing him deeply once more before scooting out from underneathe him. Jack followed close behind, checking his jeans quickly before walking to the stairs, Amelia's phone left to vibrate on the table, eventually off the table.

_"Hey, it's Amelia, sorry I couldn't get to the phone, you know me, always busy. So leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks. Bye!"_

"Hello Amelia, you know who I am, so I shouldn't have to explain anything. Why didn't you answer your phone? Your boyfriends brother tell you he saw me today? I saw him at least, too bad you weren't there, it would've been nice to see you. I'll see you soon though, buh bye Amelia."

...

_Well, there's another chapter, a small chapter, but a chapter :) I hope to have more up soon :) thanks for all the reviews and the love i've been getting! Reviews arre really what keep my stories going, they're greatly appreciated. :) Hope you enjoyed! Deuces! Caio!_

_-Carlene_


	12. Plans and Believing

...

"Evelyn, this looks amazing." Amelia smiled, taking a second piece of bread and butter.

"Oh it's nothing dear, so how was work today Jeremiah?"

"It was alright, nothing big going on, really. Mary said to tell you hi." Jerry smirked, taking a bite of green beans. Everything seemed too silent to Amelia, Angel wasn't even making a sound, let alone Bobby being free of any remarks. Dinner was finished in a matter of minutes, and a matter of silence.

"Here, Evelyn, I'll help you with the dishes." Amelia stood, picking up the plates from the table.

"Well, thank you Amelia." Evelyn gave her a small smile before taking the other dishware and bringing it to the sink.

"So, Evelyn.." Amelia started once they had gotten a process going, "I'm just wondering, I'm pretty sure I heard Jack and Bobby talking earlier, and I was wondering what they were talking about?"

"Oh hun, it's nothing to worry about, Bobby just caught up with one of Jack's old friends at the hockey rink and his friend wanted to see him before he headed back to Hillsdale."

"Oh, alright." Amelia nodded, watching herself spin to plate, drying it, and setting it back up in the cupboard.

"Amelia, you know the boys are watching out for you, you have nothing to worry about."

"I know, I know, it just, I can tell when Jack is hiding something and it worries me when he does, excuse me for a minute..." Amelia trailed off, peeking her head into the living room. "Hey Jack, could you maybe go get me my cell phone, it's up on the nightstand in my bedroom."

"Sure." Jack smiled at her, getting up to the sound of Bobby making sucking noises.

"Shut it Bobby." Jack rolled his eyes, walking upstairs. Seeing her phone blinking on the nightstand, he decided to be nosy. "One new voicemail..." Jack cocked his head to the side, not recognizing the number he decided to take a listen for himself.

_"Hello Amelia, you know who I am, so I shouldn't have to explain anything. Why didn't you answer your phone? Your boyfriends brother tell you he saw me today? I saw him at least, too-"_

"God damnit..." Jack hissed, sending a text to Bobby to come upstairs, giving him a few minutes, he listened to the footfalls coming down the hallway.

"What is it?" Bobby asked.

"Amelia.." Jack held up her phone, "It was her dad you saw at the rink today, he left her a voicemail..."

"That sick fuck..." Bobby grumbled.

"What do we do Bobby? We know he's here, and now he knows what you look like, he probably knows where we live if Randy's working with him. God, can't he just give up and realize we aren't letting him within a football field of her? What if she checks through her phone and hears this? He's put her through enough Bobby-"

"I know Jack, I know. Well, I don't know what your gonna do but Amelia isn't leaving. We just all have to act like everything is normal, I told Randy that she was trying to be able to take a vacation back out to Oregon. So if we can keep her hidden, maybe he'll just go back to Oregon."

"Maybe, but..."

"But what Jack? It's not much, but it's all we can do, alright? Now delete the voicemail and get her phone to-"

"Uhm, hello?" Amelia peeped up, tapping her knuckles lightly on the doorframe.

"Hey there Amelia!" Bobby forced a smile onto his face, making it look more pained than it should.

"What's going on guys..?" She asked, looking up to Jack.

"Nothing, nothing." Jack said in a rush of breathe, a little more red coming to his face than normal.

"No, stop lying to me Jack Mercer, I heard you guys talking about some voicemail, what voicemail? Was it on my phone? Did Randy call or something?"

"Somebody called alright." Bobby sighed, "Look, Amelia, your dad called, left you a voicemail, and, well, I don't know how to say this..."

"Baby..." Jack started, "Bobby was out playing hockey when Randy came up to him, asking him questions about you. But he also saw some creepy guy in a car, and... well, we think that the guy was your dad. And he left you a voicemail saying he saw Bobby, and that Bobby saw him, so we're pretty certain that that guy was your dad." Jack trailed off, simply staring at Amelia, waiting for her to do anything. "Babe..?"

"Well..." Amelia's voice shook more than a leaf in the fall, looking to the ceiling, willing the tears not to fall, "What can we do?"

"Well, your going to hide out a bit, alright? It may get boring but I've gotta ask you not to leave the house. Bobby, Jerry, Angel and I are all going to pretend like you went away to Oregon to visit a friend."

"Okay... but what if all of you are gone, and he knows that I'm here alone.."

"Well, that's gonna be an impossibility because your not going to be home alone, ever. You'll have at least two of us here, Jack will always be here, but he'll have to go every once in a while, not to look too suspicious. But you'll always have either me Jerry or Angel too."

"I got that part Bobby."

"Alright, well, that's really all we can do for now, is just try to make him think your not here."

"But Bobby, what if he calls Oregon, calls one of my friends and they tell him that they haven't seen me?"

"Well, if he does, then... wel, if he calls you again, say you stopped in Arizona to see your other relatives, you did say Arizona, right?"

"Yeah, my uncle Frankie lives in Arizona." Amelia nodded slowly, making a quick move to swipe the tears from her eyes.

"Alright, so that's plan B." Jack made an effort to smile, making his way to her, "No need to be afraid Amelia, we've got this handled, alright?"

"Yeah, listen to your boyfriend here Amelia, he knows what he's talking about, now I'm going to go back and watch the game." Bobby grumbled, making his way back to the staircase.

"I'm sorry.." Jack sighed, pulling her into him.

"For what? It's not like.. it's not like it's your fault or anything.." Amelia cracked up, causing him to pull her tighter.

"I know, but I'm sorry this has to be happening to you, it's unfair."

"Well, life isn't fair, is it?" She asked, wiping more tears away, Jack placed a hand on her cheek, running a thumb under her eye.

"No, it isn't." He let out a nervous laugh, "For once I have an answer to your question." He rolled his eyes at himself.

"Jack, you don't need the answers to my questions to make me love you. You just need to be there. Which you are, and I'm so greatful for that. Now you should go abck to the game."

"I should, but I think my loving girlfriend needs me more." He gave her a small smile before taking both of her hands and swaying a bit, humming a small tune. She couldn't hide the blush in her face feeling him placing a hand on her hip and spinning her around, eliciting a giddy giggle from her lips, making him laugh along. Amelia tried humming along, streaming in her own melody between his, he gave her one last twirl before pulling her in close again.

"So, when did you learn to dance?" She asked, looking up at him from his chest.

"I wouldn't call it dancing, more glorified swaying and turning than anything.." Jack laughed.

"Well, it's good to sway... in a glorified fashion with you." She said, ending with more of a question in her voice than anything.

"Haha same goes to you. You look tired."

"You could say that." She yawned.

"Well, bedtime for you then." He laughed, picking her up bridal style and laying her on the bed, and making a smooth move to crawl in besides her. He took a breath, going back to humming his small melody, putting her more at ease before she fell asleep.

...

"Alright, alright Bobby, we know you've got guns, so we'll be packing."

"At all times." Bobby explained.

"I can't be packing at work." Jerry groaned.

"I know you can't be, so don't pack at work just pack whenever you're anywhere else."

"Okay.." Jerry sighed, "Why don't we just hunt down that car, find the guy and make a deal with him ourselves, show him something that will tell him to give up."

"Because, Jerry, it's not that easy, he doesn't seem like the guy to give up until he gets what he wants, it's sick and annoying that we can't do anything but sit like a bunch of ducks, but we gotta watch her alright? She's family."

"I know she's family, but how come we just sit here? Call the cops or something Bobby." Jerry waved his arm in the direction of the phone.

"You know the cops around Detroit Jerry, they won't do a damn thing."

"Well, if you explained it to them correctly, they just might."

"Yeah, what do you know?" Bobby asked, turning his attention to the TV.

"Apparently a hell of a lot more than you do, you pig headed cracker."

"Oh so I'm a cracker now, huh?" Bobby asked, standing up.

"Oh, beat your chest a little bit more, Bobby." Jerry rolled his eyes.

"Whatever Jerry.." Bobby mumbled, flopping back onto the couch.

...

Jack couldn't help but feel blessed, seeing her small figure curled up to him, everything about her fitting perfectly. He would never have thought that he would be so lucky. Listening to her breathing, he was annoyed when he heard her phone buzzing. Reaching behind his shoulder, he snatched it from the nightstand, not recogizing the number, he pressed the ignore button. He was about the set it back when he felt it vibrate in his hand. He brought it back to his eyes a banner saying "New Voicemail".

"Well.." Jack whispered, calling her voicemail, and putting her pin in, he waited.

"Hey, Amelia, it's Randy. I don't know why the fuck you're not answering your phone you dumb bitch. And I don't know why in the hell you insisted with mom to go back to Oregon, but get your ass home. Your boyfriend misses you, you whore. Call me back as soon as you can."

Jack gripped the phone as tight as he could, not believing the words that Amelia's brother had just called her. But he'd bought it, he thought she was in Oregon.

"Babe..?" Amelia squeaked, her eyes barely open.

"Hm.?" Jack hummed, looking to her.

"What are you doing up?" She yawned.

"No reason, just up." He shrugged.

"Oh, well, go back to sleep." She mumbled, placing her head back onto his chest, listening to his small laughter before he kissed her on top of her head, leaning his head back into the pillow and staring at the ceiling.

...

_Heyy all :) Well another chapter down for the count hehe :) I hope you enjoyed, now I'm going to go work on the next chapter ;) Remember Reviews=Love :D Deuces! 3_

_-Carlene_


	13. So Close, but So Far

...

"Jack!" Bobby shouted, not caring to understand that it was 3 in the morning.

"Holy shit Bobby, could you quiet down?"

"Whatever, c'mon." Bobby shrugged into his jacket.

"Where we goin?"

"Out on the porch, I just saw the car from the park skim by the house."

"But, what if Randy is in the car with him?" Jack yawned, slipping on a sweatshirt.

"Who gives a crap?" Bobby sighed, lighting two cigarettes and handing one to his brother.

"Eh.." Jack rolled his eyes, sitting down on the wicker chair in the corner.

Snow was softly falling onto the street, really only visible within the beams of the streetlights. Nothing was moving, Jack noticed, not even the occasional gang banger as was usual. Jacks attention was being brought across the street, seeing the neighbors upstairs light turn on, and a dark figure looking out the window.

Jack raised his hand in a small wave before the elderly man slid his curtains shut once again before the room turned black.

"This is pointless, Bobby, I doub-"

"Shut it, there's headlights coming down the street." Bobby smacked him, flicking his cig to the ground and stepping on it.

"Mom's gonna be mad at you for that." He stated simply.

"Shut up..." Bobby looked towards the street at a pair of headlights, which seemed to be pulling up in front of the house next door. It idled there, no one getting out but the headlights shining right on Jack and Bobby.

"Bobby, let's just go inside."

"No, you pansy, just stay here." Bobby whispered under his breath, raising a hand to wave at the car.

Soon after the gesture, the headlights turned off, along with the engine. Jack heard the clicking of car doors opening. _Shit, shit, shit, shit..._ Jack thought to himself.

"Hey Bobby!" Jack made out Randy's voice shouting to them.

"How's it?"

"It's good, have you heard any word about my sister coming back? We're starting to miss her around here."

"It's been what? Two days?" Bobby laughed.

"Yeah, maybe I'm not missing her so much. But my dad's back in town and wanted to see her." Randy shrugged, walking to the porch door with a bulky man behind him.

"Hm, well I'm guessing you're her dad?" Bobby asked, looking around Randy.

"That's me." The man chuckled, already Jack's blood was starting to boil.

"Nice to meet you, too bad Amelia isn't home to see you, how long will you be around?" Bobby dug a little deeper.

"I'm in town for work, I'm not quite sure how long the project will last."

"Ah." Bobby nodded. "Well, we just came out to have a smoke."

"Oh, hey Jack! Didn't quite notice you sitting there." Randy said, a sharper tone in his voice.

"Hey, Randy." Jack grumbled.

"Dad, this is Amelia's boyfriend, Jack Mercer." Randy motioned towards him.

"Hello, you better be treating my daughter right. We can always have a talk later bout' that."

"Yeah, sure you can. But I've got work in the morning, and Jacks gotta help our ma around the house so, see ya 'round." Bobby waved before walking back in.

"See ya guys." Randy sighed, turning back to the side with his dad behind him.

"Jesus Christ..." Jack sighed, locking the door behind him.

"What?" Bobby looked to his younger brother while tossing his jacket on the hook.

"Nothing, just wanting to go hit that asshole of a father." Jack grumbled.

"Calm it down Jackie-poo. Now go upstairs and cuddle up with your girl. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Night Bobby." Jack stomped up the stairs, dragging his feet back to the room.

"Night Jack."

...

**Hello there, sorry for the miny chapter, but I wanted to show you guys that I'm not dead XD But with a new job, summer homework, finals, new car, etc. I just wanted to post a chapter, even if it's complete fluff to try to jog along with this story. Any ideas on where this could go, PM me. **

**Reviews=Love. Thank you for all reviewing/alerting/reading this story, you're all amazing people!(:**


	14. Run, Baby, Run

Sirens out on the city street woke Amelia, her head nuzzling even closer into Jack's chest. She heard him chuckling, one of his hands reaching up and patting her hair.

"Good morning.." She murmured, still refusing to close her eyes. One of her arms draped over his abdomen, fingers gripping into the material of his shirt.

"Mornin' beautiful." His voice was scratchy, just like it always was in the morning, at least, as many times as Amelia had heard him in the morning. "Are you going to go back to sleep?"

She finally stirred again, opening her eyes and craning her neck back to look up at him. "No, why? What is it?" Amela stretched, her limbs stretching out and a soft yawn escaping her lips.

"Because.. well, because I've been thinking- I know, I know, dangerous stuff." Jack chuckled at himself, leaning his head back against the headboard, "But.. But.." He started chewing on his lower lip, wondering how much of this he was wanting to spill onto her at once. "You know.. there's a little area way up north. It's called Sleeping Bear Bay. My mah brought me and the guys up there the year after she adopted me..."

"Alright.." Amelia nodded, giving him a confused look, "Is this going somewhere or is this turning into story time?"

"No, I.. I was thinking that.. Maybe we could go there for a while, make sure that you really are out of town incase anything happens y'know?" Jack murmured, sliding his hand up her arm and into her hair, she still looked so confused. "I'm asking you to run away with me."

Amelia froze for a second, looking over him. How long had they been together? Not even a month yet, and here they were, sharing a bed, Jack asking her to run away. Of course it wasn't that running away, but it was still getting away from home, from her problems. "H-Have you talked to your mom about this?"

"No, it's just an idea that popped into my head, but it doesn't seem like a bad one. You'd surely be safe up there. Nobody knows about that place but my family. We could sneak out when we would know that nobody saw, you'd be free until he leaves again, or until my brothers can find a way to get rid of him." His voice was pleading, because this was the first good idea he'd had in a long time, because he wanted her to be safe, to not have to worry about this. He just wanted to see her smile a real smile for once, nothing forced, just one that actually reached those beautiful eyes of hers. "Please."

She couldn't do anything, couldn't say anything. The whole thought was floating around in her mind, what if someone knew about it? That'd leave her and Jack and what if something happened to him, just like in her nightmares. But it was truly the only idea either of them had had and it was the only one she could take hold of rationally. "I.. I'd love to run away with you, Jack." Amelia beamed, almost laughing at her words. She pushed herself up, placing a soft, brief kiss to his lips before settling back down onto his chest.

...

**Alright, alright, alright... Yeah, it's been a while, huh? This was kind of spur of the moment but I just recently got an email saying someone added this story to their alerts and I read it and my muse returned! So yeah, it shouldn't be another year and a half before the next chapter, haha! I love you guys so much, every favorite, every review, I see them and it truly is what keeps this going. Thank you a million times over, thank you. **


	15. Personal Update

Hey guys!

Whew, it's sure been a while, hasn't it? Gosh, I'm so sorry I've been absent for months. But just stopping by to let you know that I am checking in on all of my stories and figuring out where to go with each of them. Though, I'll tell you now, the ones that I have the most muse for, from strongest muse to least is:

Just an Ocean Away

Collateral Damage

A Broken Halellujah

... and then the rest are kind of in a dead muse pile as of right now. Though, I have been writing a lot and I may be in the midst of coming up with either a new WWII story, either Band of Brothers, The Pacific, or something completely original. With being a history major and a literature minor comes all of these ideas. So yeah, I'm back, and you guys should be expecting updates coming up here pretty soon.

- Carlene


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